Concrete pumping machine

ABSTRACT

A concrete pump in which a central housing is provided with inlet and outlet valves angularly spaced about a bearing. Arcuate valve members mounted on a framework swing on the bearing between a first position in which the inlet valve is open and the outlet valve is closed and a second position in which the outlet valve is open and the inlet valve is closed. A pump cylinder communicates with the interior of the central housing and houses a piston which moves back and forth therein to draw concrete into the central housing through the inlet valve and to expel the concrete through the outlet valve.

United States Patent Gerald 1-1. Reinert Inventor Cold Spring, Ky. Appl. No. 875,439 Filed Nov. 10, 1969 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Assignee DESA Industries, Inc.

Cockeysville, Md.

CONCRETE PUMPING MACHINE [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,114,325 12/1963 Triebel 417/507 3,477,380 11/1969 .lohanson et al. 417/900 Primary Examiner Robert M. Walker Attorney-Dawson, Tilton, Fallon & Lungmus ABSTRACT: A concrete pump in which a central housing is provided with inlet and outlet valves angularly spaced about a bearing. Arcuate valve members mounted on a framework swing on the bearing between a first position in which the inlet valve is open and the outlet valve is closed and a second position in which the outlet valve is open and the inlet valve is closed. A pump cylinder communicates with the interior of the central housing and houses a piston which moves back and forth therein to draw concrete into the central housing through the inlet valve and to expel the concrete through the outlet valve.

PATENTEnum 12 ISYI SHEET 10F 2 3,612,730

INVENTOR.

ATYO'N'Y" CONCRETE PUMPING MACHINE This invention relates to a machine for pumping heavy abrasive materials such as concrete or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide a valving arrangement for a concrete pump having arcuate valve members mounted to swing between alternate positions for opening and closing valves which control flow into and out of a central housing.

Briefly, this invention provides a concrete pump having a central housing provided with inlet and outlet valves angularly spaced about a bearing mounted thereon. Arcuate valve mem bers are mounted on a framework which swings on the bearing. The valve members swing between a first position in which the inlet valve is open and the outlet valve is closed and a second position in which the outlet valve is open and the inlet valve is closed. Resilient seal forming members mounted in housings of the valves are held against faces of the valve members to seal the valve members. A pump cylinder communicates with the interior of the central housing and houses a piston which moves back and forth therein to draw concrete into the central housing through the inlet valve andto expel the concrete through the outlet valve.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the an to which the invention pertains from the following detailed description and the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation of a concrete pumping machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, parts being broken away to reveal details, valve members thereof being shown in a first position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the machine with the valve members being shown in a second position;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in section on an enlarged scale of a drive cylinder and of a pump cylinder of the machine in an advanced position;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and I partly in section of the drive cylinder and of the pump cylinder in retracted position;

FIG. 5 is a view in section taken onthe line 5-5 in FIG. 2, a hopper being removed for clarity;

FIG. 6 is a view in section taken on an enlarged scale on the line 66 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a view in section taken on the line 7-7 in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a view in section taken on the line 8-8 in FIG. 6.

In the following detailed description and the drawings like reference characters indicate like parts.

In FIG. I is shown a concrete pumping machine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention. The machine includes a hollow central housing 21 into which concrete 22 is introduced from a hopper 23 through an inlet valve housing 24. The concrete is drawn into the central housing 21 by a pump piston 25 which moves in a pump cylinder 26 and is discharged from the central housing 21 through an outlet valve housing 27 into a discharge pipe 28. The pump piston is driven by a drive piston 29 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which reciprocates in a drive cylinder 30 is connected to the pump piston by a rod 35. When concrete is advancing through one of the valve housings 24 and 27, flow is cut off through the other of these housings by one of a pair of arcuate valve members 32 and 33 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which are mounted on a swing- A flange 38 at one'end of the main portion 36 is attached to a flange 39 of the pump cylinder 26. A flange 41 on the opposite end of the main portion 36 is attached to the outlet valve housing 27. A flange 43 at the upper end of the side arm 37 is similarly attached to the inlet housing 24. On opposite sides of the main portion 36 of the central housing 21 are mounted trunnionlike bearing pins 44, only one of which is shown. In addition, plates 46, 47, 48, and 49 (FIG. 5) attached to the central housing 21 support frame members 51 and 52 on opposite sides of the central housing 21.

On the bearing pins 44 are pivotally mounted swinging arms 53 and 54 (FIG. 1) which are part of the swinging framework 34 and between which is mounted a plate 56. The arcuate valve members 32 and 33 are attached to the plate 56 by screw fasteners 57. The swinging framework 34 and the arcuate valve members 32 and 33 swing between the position' shown in FIG. 1 and that shown inFIG. 2. They are caused to swing by a generally U-shaped drive frame 58 (FIG. 5) which includes sidearms 59 and 61 and a crossbar 62. Lower ends of the arms 59 and 61 are pivotally connected to the swinging arms 54 and 61 are pivotally connected to the swinging arms 54 and 53, respectively, by pivot pins 63 and 64, respectively, mounted in the swinging arms. A piston rod 66 is attached to the crossbar 62. The piston rod 66 is driven by a piston 67 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which moves in a cylinder 68. The cylinder 68 is mounted on a rocker bar 69 which pivots on hinge mounts 70 and 71 at upper ends of the frame members 51 and 52, respectively. Hydraulic fluid can be introduced through leads 72 and 73 for causing the swinging framework 34 to swing between the FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 position.

The inlet valve housing 24 and the outlet valve housing 27 are similar in construction and only the outlet valve housing 27 will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8,

the outlet valve housing 27 includes a central body 74 includ ing sidewalls 76 and 77 FIG. 8) and end walls 78 and 79 which can be welded together to form the hollow body. Openings 81 and 82 can be formed in the sidewalls 76 and 77, respectively. Inwardly extending plates 83 and 84 (FIG. 6) are mounted on the sidewalls 76 and 77, respectively, above the openings 81 and 82, there being a slot 86 between the plates 83 and 84 through which the arcuate valve member 32 swings. Gasket blocks 87 and 88 of rubber or other rubberlike material are slidably mounted on the plates 83 and 84, respectively. The gasket blocks 87 and 88 are held in engagement with arcuate faces 87 and 88' of the valve member 32 by pressure plates 89 and 91 which are driven inwardly by adjustment screws 92 and 93 which are threaded in bores in the sidewalls. A holddown plate 94, which is attached to the central body 74 by fasteners 96, overlies the gasket blocks 87 and 88, respective ly, to hold the gasket blocks in position. The arcuate valve member 32 can swing downwardly until a lower edge 97 thereof engages a stopblock 98. The stopblock 98 is mounted on a pad 99 which is attached to the lower end of the body 74 by screw fasteners 101 (FIG. 7) with the stopblock 98 extending into the interior of the body 74 but with he stopblock terminating below the openings 81 and 82 in the sidewalls of the body.

Concrete 22 (FIG. 1) is fed to the inlet housing by the hopper 23 having a neck 104 communicating with the inlet valve housing 24. When the arcuate valve members 32 and 33 are in the FIG. 1 position, the inlet valve housing 24 is open and the outlet valve housing 27 is closed. The concrete can then be drawn into the central housing 21 as the pump piston 25 and the drive piston 29 move from the FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 position to the FIG. 4 position. Hydraulic fluid under pressure is introduced into the drive cylinder 30 through a lead 105 to drive the drive piston 29 and the pump piston 25 to the right, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, to draw the concrete in through the inlet valve housing 24. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, an elongated rod 106 is attached to and reciprocates with the pump piston 25 and the drive piston 29, the rod moving in a guide cylinder 107. When the pump piston 25 and the drive piston 29 reach the FIG. 4 position, a cam surface 108 on the rod 106 engages a valve operator 109 of a control valve 111. The control valve 111 is connected to hydraulic controls (not shown) which permit introduction of hydraulic fluid into the lead 72 (FIGS. 1 and 2) connected to the cylinder 68 to cause the arcuate valve members 32 and 33 to be swung from the FIG. 1 position to the FIG. 2 position when the control valve 111 is actuated. When the arcuate valve members have been moved to the FIG. 2 position, hydraulic fluid is introduced into the drive cylinder 30 through a lead 113 (FIGS. 3 and 4) to drive the drive piston 29 and the pump piston 25 to the FIG. 1 and 3 position expelling the concrete through the discharge pipe 28. When the pump piston 25 reaches the FIG. 3 position, a cam surface 114 on the rod 106 engages a valve operator 116 of a control valve 117 to actuate the control valve 117. The control valve 117 is connected to the hydraulic controls in such a manner that hydraulic fluid under pressure can be introduced into the lead 73 (FIGS. 1 and 2) of the cylinder 68 to swing the arcuate valve members 32 and 33 from the FIG. 2 position to the FIG. 1 position when the control valve 117 is actuated.

In the pumping machine of this invention, concrete is fed downwardly from the feed hopper into the central housing and is pumped horizontally therefrom. The pump cylinder and the drive cylinder are aligned with the discharge pipe and the concrete is forced in a straight line from the pump cylinder outwardly through the central housing and the outlet valve housing. The inlet valve housing and the outlet valve housing are angularly displaced approximately 90 but because of the arcuate shape of the valve members, both valve members are operated by the same driving arrangement. The concrete pumping machine illustrated in the drawings and described above is subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby letters patent is:

1. In a concrete pump having a frame, concrete supply means, and a concrete pumping cylinder, a valve assembly comprising angularly related inlet and outlet pipe means attached to and communicating with the pumping cylinder, the inlet pipe means also communicating with the concrete supply means, the inlet pipe means including an inlet valve housing portion and the outlet pipe means including an outlet valve housing portion, each of the valve housings having a side opening, a swinging framework pivotally mounted on the frame exteriorly of the inlet and outlet pipe means, an arcuate valve member mounted on the swinging framework and extending arcuately exteriorly of the inlet and outlet pipe means between the openings in the inlet and outlet valve housings, the swinging framework and the valve member being swingeble between a first position in which the valve member extends into the inlet valve housing through the opening therein to close the inlet pipe means, the outlet pipe means being open, and a second position in which the valve member extends into the outlet valve housing through the opening therein to close the outlet pipe means, the inlet pipe means being open.

2. The structure of claim 1 including an extensible hydraulic motor pivotally connected to the frame and pivotally connected to the swinging framework for moving the swinging framework and the valve member between the first and second position.

3. The structure of claim 1 in which the angle between the inlet and outlet pipe means in about 90 and the arcuate valve member extends over an arc of about 90 4. The structure of claim 1 including a sealing gasket mounted on each of the valve housings adjacent the opening therein and engaging the valve member to substantially prevent flow of concrete through the openings in the valve housing.

5. The structure of claim 1 in which the valve member is generally rectangular in transverse cross section, each of the valve housings including a generally rectangularly extending outer wall, the side opening in each of the valve housings being provided through the outer wall thereof, each side opening being generally rectangular and sized slightly larger than the rectangular cross section of the valve member.

6. A valve assembly for a concrete pump comprising a frame, an inlet conduit on the frame defining a flow passage and adapted to be connected to a source of material to be pumped, an outlet conduit 'on the frame defining a flow passage communicating with the flow passage of the inlet conduit and extending angularly therefrom, each of the inlet and outlet conduits having an opening through the conduit extending generally transversely to the flow passage therein and communicating the flow passage of the conduit with the exterior of the conduit, an arcuate blade member extending arcuately exteriorly of the conduits between the opening in the inlet conduit and the opening in the outlet conduit, the blade member being pivotally mounted on the frame for swinging movement about an axis extending generally perpendicularly to the inlet and outlet conduits, the blade member having a pair of blade ends, each blade end being receivable in one of the openings in the inlet and outlet conduits whereby swinging movement of the blade may open and close the flow passage of each of the conduits.

7. The valve assembly of claim 6 including a sealing gasket mounted on each of the inlet and outlet conduits adjacent the opening therein and engaging the blade member to substantially prevent flow of concrete through the openings in the conduits to the exterior of the valve assembly.

8. The structure of claim 6 including a pair of elongated arms extending on opposite sides of said inlet and outlet conduits exteriorly of the conduits one end of each of said arms being pivotally mounted on the frame and the other end of each of said arms being secured to the blade member.

9. The structure of claim 8 including bearing means secured to the outlet conduit on opposite sides thereof, each of said one arm ends being pivotally secured to the outlet conduit by the bearing means.

10. The structure of claim 8 including a hydraulically operated piston and cylinder assembly for swinging said arms, one of said piston and cylinder being pivotally connected to said frame and the other of said piston and cylinder being pivotally connected to said arms.

11. The structure of claim 8 including a blade mounting plate extending between the other ends of said arms and secured thereto, the blade member being boltably secured to the blade-mounting plate.

12. The structure of claim 6 in which the blade member is generally rectangular in transverse cross section, each of the conduits including a generally boxlike seal housing portion provided by a generally rectangularly extending outer wall, the opening in each conduit being provided through the outer wall of the seal housing portion thereof.

13. The structure of claim 6 in which the angle between the inlet and outlet conduits is about and the arcuate blade member extends over an arc of about 90.

14. In a concrete pump having a frame, concrete supply means, and a concrete pumping cylinder, a valve assembly comprising a. angularly related inlet and outlet pipe means on the frame, each of the pipe means having an axially extending flow passage therein communicating with the pumping cylinder, the flow passage in the inlet pipe means also communicating with the concrete supply means, the inlet pipe means including an inlet valve housing portion and the outlet pipe means including an outlet valve housing portion, each of the valve housing portions having an opening extending generally transversely to the flow passage through the housing,

b. a swinging framework pivotally mounted on the frame exteriorly of the inlet and outlet pipe means,

c. a valve member mounted on the swinging framework and extending exteriorly of the inlet and outlet pipe means between the openings in the inlet and outlet having housing portions, the valve member including first and second arcuate portions, each of the arcuate portions extending arcuately along a path defined by a circle lying in the plane defined by the axes of the inlet and outlet pipe means and passing through the openings in the valve housing portions,

the swinging framework and the valve member being swingable between a first position in which the first arcuate portion of the valve member extends into the inlet valve housing portion through the opening therein to block the flow passage through the inlet pipe means and the second arcuate portion of the valve member is substantially completely withdrawn from the flow passage through the outlet pipe means and a second position in which the second arcuate portion of the valve member extends into the outlet valve housing portion through the opening therein to block the flow passage through the outlet pipe means and the first arcuate portion of the valve member is substantially completely withdrawn from the flow passage through the inlet pipe means.

15. The structure of claim 14 including a sealing gasket mounted on each of the valve housings adjacent the opening therein and engaging the valve member to substantially prevent flow of concrete through the openings in the valve housing to the exterior of the valve assembly.

16. The structure of claim 14 in which the inlet pipe means includes a cylindrical inlet pipe extending generally vertically upwardly from the pumping cylinder to the inlet valve housing portion and the outlet pipe means includes a cylindrical outlet pipe extending from the pumping cylinder to the outlet valve housing portion, the end of the second arcuate portion of the valve member being withdrawn to a position substantially aligned with the inner wall of the outlet pipe when the valve member is in the first position whereby concrete may flow substantially unimpeded through the outlet pipe past the valve member, the end of the first arcuate portion of the valve member being withdrawn to a position substantially aligned with the inner wall of the inlet pipe when the valve member is in the second position whereby concrete may flow substantially unimpeded into the inlet pipe past the valve member.

273 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,612,730 Dated October 12, 1971 Inventor( Gerald H. Reinert It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

In claim 14, line 67, "having" should be -valve-.

Signed and sealed this 18th day of April 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHBER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. In a concrete pump having a frame, concrete supply means, and a concrete pumping cylinder, a valve assembly comprising angularly related inlet and outlet pipe means attached to and communicating with the pumping cylinder, the inlet pipe means also communicating with the concrete supply means, the inlet pipe means including an inlet valve housing portion and the outlet pipe means including an outlet valve housing portion, each of the valve housings having a side opening, a swinging framework pivotally mounted on the frame exteriorly of the inlet and outlet pipe means, an arcuate valve member mounted on the swinging framework and extending arcuately exteriorly of the inlet and outlet pipe means between the openings in the inlet and outlet valve housings, the swinging framework and the valve member being swingable between a first position in which the valve member extends into the inlet valve housing through the opening therein to close the inlet pipe means, the outlet pipe means being open, and a second position in which the valve member extends into the outlet valve housing through the opening therein to close the outlet pipe means, the inlet pipe means being open.
 2. The structure of claim 1 including an extensible hydraulic motor pivotally connected to the frame and pivotally connected to the swinging framework for moving the swinging framework and the valve member between the first and second position.
 3. The structure of claim 1 in which the angle between the inlet and outlet pipe means in about 90* and the arcuate valve member extends over an arc of about 90*
 4. The structure of claim 1 including a sealing gasket mounted on each of the valve housings adjacent the opening therein and engaging the valve member to substantially prevent flow of concrete through the openings in the valve housing.
 5. The structure of claim 1 in which the valve member is generally rectangular in transverse cross section, each of the valve housings including a generally rectangularly extending outer wall, the side opening in each of the valve housings being provided through the outer wall thereof, each side opening being generally rectangular and sized slightly larger than the rectangular cross section of the valve member.
 6. A valve assembly for a concrete pump comprising a frame, an inlet conduit on the frame defining a flow passage and adapted to be connected to a source of material to be pumped, an outlet conduit on the frame defining a flow passage communicating with the flow passage of the inlet conduit and extending angularly therefrom, each of the inlet and outlet conduits having an opening through the conduit extending generally transversely to the flow passage therein and communicating the flow passage of the conduit with the exterior of the conduit, an arcuate blade member extending arcuately exteriorly of the conduits between the opening in the inlet conduit and the opening in the outlet conduit, the blade member being pivotally mounted on the frame for swinging movement about an axis extending generally perpendicularly to the inlet and outlet conduits, the blade member having a pair of blade ends, each blade end being receivable in one of the openings in the inlet and outlet conduits whereby swinging movement of the blade may open and close the flow passage of each of the conduits.
 7. The valve assembly of claim 6 including a sealing gasket mounted on each of the inlet and outlet conduits adjacent the opening therein and engaging the blade member to substantially prevent flow of concrete through the openings in the conduits to the exterior of the valve assembly.
 8. The structure of claim 6 including a pair of elongated arms extending on opposite sides of said inlet and outlet conduits exteriorly of the conduits one end of each of said arms being pivotally mounted on the frame and the other end of each of said arms being secured to the blade member.
 9. The structure of claim 8 including bearing means secured to the outlet conduit on opposite sides thereof, each of said one arm ends being pivotally secured to the outlet conduit by the bearing means.
 10. The structure of claim 8 including a hydraulically operated piston and cylinder assembly for swinging said arms, one of said piston and cylinder being pivotally connected to said frame and the other of said piston and cylinder being pivotally connected to said arms.
 11. The structure of claim 8 including a blade mounting plate extending between the other ends of said arms and secured thereto, the blade member being boltably secured to the blade-mounting plate.
 12. The structure of claim 6 in which the blade member is generally rectangular in transverse cross section, each of the conduits including a generally boxlike seal housing portion provided by a generally rectangularly extending outer wall, the opening in each conduit being provided through the outer wall of the seal housing portion thereof.
 13. The structure of claim 6 in which the angle between the inlet and outlet conduits is about 90* and the arcuate blade member extends over an arc of about 90*.
 14. In a concrete pump having a frame, concrete supply means, and a concrete pumping cylinder, a valve assembly comprising a. angularly related inlet and outlet pipe means on the frame, each of the pipe means having an axially extending flow passage therein communicating with the pumping cylinder, the flow passage in the inlet pipe means also communicating with the concrete supply means, the inlet pipe means including an inlet valve housing portion and the outlet pipe means including an outlet valve housing portion, each of the valve housing portions having an opening extending generally transversely to the flow passage through the housing, b. a swinging framework pivotally mounted on the frame exteriorly of the inlet and outlet pipe means, c. a valve member mounted on the swinging framework and extending exteriorly of the inlet and outlet pipe means between the openings in the inlet and outlet having housing portions, the valve member including first and second arcuate portions, each of the arcuate portions extending arcuately along a path defined by a circle lying in the plane defined by the axes of the inlet and outlet pipe means and passing through the openings in the valve housing portions, the swinging framework and the valve member being swingable between a first position in which the first arcuate portion of the valve member extends into the inlet valve housing portion through the opening therein to block the flow passage through the inlet pipe means and the second arcuate portion of the valve member is substantially completely withdrawn from the flow passage through the outlet pipe means and a second position in which the second arcuate portion of the valve member extends into the outlet valve housing portion through the opening therein to block the flow passage through the outlet pipe means and the first arcuate portion of the valve member is substantially completely withdrawn from the flow passage through the inlet pipe means.
 15. The structure of claim 14 including a sealing gasket mounted on each of the valve housings adjacent the opening therein and engaging the valve member to substantially prevent flow of concrete through the openings in the valve housing to the exterior of the valve assembly.
 16. The structure of claim 14 in which the inlet pipe means includes a cylindrical inlet pipe extending generally vertically upwardly from the pumping cylinder to the inlet valve housing portion and the outlet pipe means includes a cylindrical outlet pipe extending from the pumping cylinder to the outlet valve housing portion, the end of the second arcuate portion of the valve member being withdrawn to a position substantially aligned with the inner wall of the outlet pipe when the valve member is in the first position whereby concrete may flow substantially unimpeded through the outlet pipe past the valve member, the end of the first arcuate portion of the valve member being withdrawn to a position substantially aligned with the inner wall of the inlet pipe when the valve member is in the second position whereby concrete may flow substantially unimpeded into the inlet pipe past the valve member. 